Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner Quiz: Recognizing Changes And Required Actions
10 questions · exam conditions
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Recognizing Changes And Required ActionsQuestion 1 of 10

Listen to the conversation.

Manager: Hey, Carlos. I need to let you know — the staff meeting is not on Friday anymore. We moved it to Thursday at 2 p.m. Also, please bring your time sheets from last month. We lost the copies in the office. Carlos: Oh, okay. Should I still meet with the new employee on Friday, then? Manager: Yes, that stays the same. Just don't forget the time sheets.

What does Carlos need to do differently because of the change?

Go to the meeting on Friday and bring his schedule for next month.
Attend the meeting one day earlier and bring his time sheets from last month.
Cancel his Friday meeting with the new employee and prepare new time sheets.
Move the meeting to Thursday and ask another employee to bring the time sheets.
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Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner Quiz: Recognizing Changes And Required Actions

Practice Recognizing Changes And Required Actions in Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Recognizing Changes And Required Actions, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Listen to the conversation.

Manager: Hey, Carlos. I need to let you know — the staff meeting is not on Friday anymore. We moved it to Thursday at 2 p.m. Also, please bring your time sheets from last month. We lost the copies in the office. Carlos: Oh, okay. Should I still meet with the new employee on Friday, then? Manager: Yes, that stays the same. Just don't forget the time sheets.

What does Carlos need to do differently because of the change?

  1. Go to the meeting on Friday and bring his schedule for next month.
  2. Attend the meeting one day earlier and bring his time sheets from last month. (correct answer)
  3. Cancel his Friday meeting with the new employee and prepare new time sheets.
  4. Move the meeting to Thursday and ask another employee to bring the time sheets.
Explanation: When a conversation includes a schedule change, your job is to track what's different and what stays the same. Listen carefully for two things: what the manager tells Carlos to change, and what Carlos asks about keeping the same. The manager says the staff meeting moved from Friday to Thursday at 2 p.m. — that's one day earlier. The manager also asks Carlos to bring his time sheets from last month because the office lost its copies. These are the two changes Carlos must make. When Carlos asks about the Friday meeting with the new employee, the manager confirms that stays the same. So Carlos has two new responsibilities: attend the meeting on Thursday instead of Friday, and bring last month's time sheets. That makes B correct — Carlos attends the meeting one day earlier and brings his time sheets from last month. A is wrong because Carlos doesn't need to go to the meeting on Friday (it moved to Thursday), and the manager asks for time sheets from last month, not a schedule for next month. C is wrong because Carlos does not cancel his Friday meeting with the new employee — the manager specifically confirms it stays on Friday. D is wrong because Carlos himself needs to bring the time sheets; the manager asked him, not another employee. Also, the meeting already moved to Thursday — Carlos doesn't need to arrange that himself. A useful strategy: on listening questions, mentally sort information into two columns — what changed and what stayed the same. Wrong answers often mix these up to trick you.

Question 2

Listen to the voicemail.

"Hi, this is a message for Mr. Park from Riverside Clinic. We need to reschedule your appointment. Dr. Nguyen is not available on the 14th anymore. Your new appointment is on the 16th at 10 a.m. Please call us back to confirm, and remember to bring your insurance card and a photo ID. If you already sent your medical forms online, you do not need to bring those. Thank you."

What action does Mr. Park need to take because of this change?

  1. Go to the clinic on the 14th, bring his insurance card, and resubmit his medical forms online.
  2. Call the clinic to confirm the new date and bring his insurance card and a photo ID. (correct answer)
  3. Call the clinic to confirm, and also print and bring his medical forms along with his ID.
  4. Wait for the clinic to call again and then bring all his paperwork on the 16th.
Explanation: When listening to a voicemail or reading instructions, focus on the specific actions the speaker asks the listener to take. These are usually action verbs like "call," "bring," or "confirm." Ignore details that describe the situation and find only what the person must do. In this voicemail, the clinic gives Mr. Park two clear tasks: call back to confirm the new appointment date, and bring his insurance card and a photo ID. The message also says that if he already submitted his medical forms online, he does not need to bring them. This matches B exactly — call to confirm and bring the insurance card and photo ID. A is wrong for two reasons: Mr. Park should go on the 16th, not the 14th (the 14th is the cancelled date), and he does not need to resubmit his medical forms. C is a trap — it says to print and bring the medical forms, but the voicemail clearly says forms sent online do not need to be brought in. D is wrong because the voicemail already tells him what to do; he should call them, not wait for another call. Bringing "all his paperwork" is also not what the message says. A useful strategy: when a passage includes an exception ("if you already sent your forms, you do NOT need to bring them"), exam questions will often test whether you caught that detail. Train yourself to underline or mentally flag any "not," "do not," or "unless" statements — they frequently appear in the wrong answer choices as traps.

Question 3

Read the conversation between two coworkers.

Dana: Did you hear? The break room is closed for repairs this week. We can't use the microwave or the refrigerator in there. Mike: Really? Where can we eat lunch? Dana: We can eat at the tables near the front lobby. But we have to clean up after ourselves because there's no cleaning staff there. Mike: What about keeping food cold? Dana: You'll need to bring a cooler or buy your lunch here this week.

Because the break room is closed, what must Mike do differently this week?

  1. Eat in a new location and find another way to keep his food cold during the day. (correct answer)
  2. Ask the cleaning staff to help him in the lobby and store his food in the break room.
  3. Bring his lunch to the break room and use a cooler instead of the refrigerator there.
  4. Go to the front lobby only on days when repairs are finished and cleaning staff are present.
Explanation: When a reading question asks what someone "must do differently," your job is to find all the changes mentioned in the passage and match them to a single answer choice. Missing even one detail can lead you to the wrong answer. Dana tells Mike two important things: first, lunch will be eaten at the tables near the front lobby instead of the break room, and second, since there's no refrigerator available, Mike will need to bring a cooler or buy his lunch. Answer A captures both of these changes — a new eating location and a new way to keep food cold — making it the correct and complete answer. Answer B is incorrect because Dana never says cleaning staff will help Mike in the lobby. In fact, she says the opposite — there is no cleaning staff there, so Mike must clean up himself. Answer C contains a common trap: it mentions the break room and a cooler together, which sounds familiar because both words appear in the conversation. However, the cooler replaces the break room refrigerator — Mike is not going to the break room at all this week. Answer D is incorrect because Dana never mentions that the lobby is only available on certain days or when repairs are finished. That detail is invented and not supported by anything in the passage. A useful strategy for this exam: when a question asks about multiple changes, eliminate any answer that is incomplete or mixes true details with false ones. Always check that your chosen answer accounts for everything the passage mentions.

Question 4

Read the flyer posted in an apartment building.

ATTENTION RESIDENTS: The water will be turned off in all units on Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for pipe repairs. Please fill containers with water before Friday morning for drinking and cooking. Do NOT run the dishwasher or washing machine during this time. The laundry room will be open again after 3 p.m. If you have an urgent problem during the shutdown, call the building manager at 555-0198.

A resident who needs to do laundry on Friday should do what?

  1. Use the laundry room before 9 a.m. on Friday or wait until after 3 p.m. that day. (correct answer)
  2. Call the building manager to ask permission and then use the laundry room during the shutdown.
  3. Wait until Saturday because the laundry room will be closed for the whole day on Friday.
  4. Fill containers with water before Friday and use the washing machine in their unit after 9 a.m.
Explanation: When you read a flyer or notice like this one, your job is to find specific information and match it to the question. The flyer gives you a clear schedule: water is off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the laundry room reopens after 3 p.m. The question asks what a resident should do about laundry on Friday, so you need to find every detail the flyer gives about the laundry room and washing machines. The flyer tells you two things: do NOT use the washing machine during the shutdown, and the laundry room will be open again after 3 p.m. This means a resident has two options — do laundry before the water turns off at 9 a.m., or wait until after 3 p.m. That makes A the correct answer, because it captures both options exactly as the flyer states. B is wrong because the flyer never says residents can call for permission to use the laundry room during the shutdown — it says to call only for urgent problems, and doing laundry is not an urgent problem. C is wrong because the flyer does not say the laundry room is closed all day Friday. It clearly states it reopens after 3 p.m., so residents can still do laundry Friday afternoon. D is wrong on two counts: filling containers is for drinking and cooking water, not for laundry, and the flyer specifically says do NOT use the washing machine during the shutdown. A useful habit: when a flyer gives a specific time or schedule, underline or circle those numbers — questions almost always ask about them.

Question 5

Read the notice on a community center door.

NOTICE: Due to a water leak, the swimming pool is CLOSED until further notice. All swim classes are moved to the YMCA on Oak Street (2 miles away). Students must register again at the YMCA front desk before their first class there. Your current payment will be transferred automatically — you do not need to pay again. Classes continue on the same days and times.

A swim student reading this notice needs to take which action before going to the first class at the new location?

  1. Pay the class fee again at the YMCA front desk and ask about the new schedule for classes.
  2. Call the YMCA to confirm payment was transferred and find out the new days and times for class.
  3. Wait for the community center to reopen and then re-register to hold a spot in the class.
  4. Register at the YMCA front desk before attending the first class at the new location. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you read a notice like this one, your job is to find the specific action the reader must take. Look for action words — things like "must," "need to," or "required" — because those signal what is required versus what is just background information. The notice clearly states: "Students must register again at the YMCA front desk before their first class there." That single sentence answers the question directly. The required action is registering at the YMCA front desk before attending the first class — which makes D the correct answer. Now let's look at why the other choices miss the mark. A is wrong for two reasons: the notice explicitly says you do not need to pay again, and the schedule stays the same (same days and times), so there is no "new schedule" to ask about. B is wrong because the notice already confirms that payment transfers automatically — no phone call is needed to verify this. The notice also already tells you the days and times stay the same, so there is no missing information to track down. C is wrong because it misreads the situation entirely. The community center is closed with no set reopening date ("until further notice"), and classes have already moved — you do not need to wait or re-register at the community center. A useful strategy for reading comprehension questions: after reading the passage, ask yourself "What action does the text say the reader MUST do?" Notices are written to give instructions, so focus on required steps and ignore details that are just background context.

Question 6

Read the text message exchange.

Sofia: Hi! I can't pick you up at 8 a.m. tomorrow. My car is in the shop. Can you take the bus? Lena: Oh no. Which bus goes to the community center? Sofia: Take the number 12 bus. It stops right in front. But check the schedule — the morning buses run less often on Wednesdays. Lena: Okay. What time should I leave? Sofia: Leave by 7:15 to be safe.

Because of the change in plans, what does Lena need to do?

  1. Call the community center to say she will be late and ask Sofia to reschedule.
  2. Find a different ride to the community center and leave at 8 a.m. as planned.
  3. Take the number 12 bus and leave her home earlier than originally planned. (correct answer)
  4. Check if the number 12 bus runs on Wednesdays and wait for Sofia to confirm.
Explanation: When a reading question asks what a character "needs to do" after a change in plans, you should track two things: what changed and what the character was told to do about it. Read for specific instructions, not just the general situation. In this conversation, Sofia can no longer drive Lena, so Lena must take the number 12 bus instead. Sofia also warns that Wednesday morning buses run less frequently and tells Lena to leave by 7:15 — earlier than the original 8 a.m. pickup time. That means Lena's new plan involves both a different form of transportation and an earlier departure. This makes C the correct answer: Lena needs to take the number 12 bus and leave her home earlier than originally planned. A is wrong because neither character mentions calling the community center or rescheduling. That idea doesn't appear anywhere in the conversation — don't invent details that aren't there. B is wrong for two reasons: Lena has no "different ride" — she's taking the bus — and leaving at 8 a.m. is the old plan, not the new one. Sofia specifically says to leave by 7:15. D is tempting because Sofia does mention checking the schedule, but the question is what Lena needs to do about the transportation change overall. Sofia already confirmed the number 12 bus runs on Wednesdays and gave Lena the departure time — there's nothing left to wait and confirm. Strategy tip: On reading comprehension questions, focus on what the text actually says, not what seems logical outside the passage. Wrong answers often mix real details with invented ones — always go back and verify with the text.

Question 7

Listen to the conversation between a supervisor and an employee.

Supervisor: Tomás, I need to tell you about a problem. The delivery truck for tomorrow is double-booked. We only have one truck, but two teams need it at the same time — 9 a.m. Tomás: What should we do? Supervisor: Your team's delivery can move to 1 p.m. But you'll need to call the customer at Miller Street and let them know about the change. Don't email — they prefer phone calls. Also, make sure your team loads the truck by 12:30 so you're not late. Tomás: Got it. Anything else? Supervisor: No, that's it.

Because of the scheduling problem, what two things must Tomás do?

  1. Email the Miller Street customer about the delay and make sure the truck is loaded before 1 p.m.
  2. Call the other team to rearrange the schedule and load the truck by 9 a.m. as originally planned.
  3. Move his delivery to 1 p.m. and wait for the supervisor to call the Miller Street customer directly.
  4. Call the Miller Street customer to inform them of the new time and have the truck loaded by 12:30 p.m. (correct answer)
Explanation: When a listening or reading question asks "what must someone do," focus carefully on the exact instructions given — not what seems close or almost right. Small details like how to contact someone or when a task is due can make the difference between a right and wrong answer. In the conversation, the supervisor gives Tomás two clear tasks: first, call the Miller Street customer to tell them about the new 1 p.m. delivery time; second, make sure the truck is loaded by 12:30 p.m. so the team isn't late. Answer D matches both of these instructions exactly, making it the correct choice. Now look at why the other options fail. A says to email the customer — but the supervisor specifically says "Don't email — they prefer phone calls." That one detail disqualifies A entirely. B says to call the other team and load the truck by 9 a.m. Neither of these appears in the instructions. Tomás is told to call the customer, not the other team, and 9 a.m. is the time being avoided, not the new loading deadline. C says to wait for the supervisor to call the customer — but the supervisor clearly tells Tomás to make that call himself. Passing the responsibility back to the supervisor is the opposite of what was instructed. A useful strategy: on questions about instructions or tasks, underline or mentally flag every specific detail — who does what, how, and when. Wrong answers often swap one of these details with something slightly different to test whether you were paying close attention.

Question 8

Read the email.

Subject: Change to English Class Schedule

Dear Students, Please note that our Tuesday evening class is canceled this week because the classroom is being painted. We will have an extra class on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. to make up for it. Please complete pages 45–50 in your workbook before Saturday. If you cannot attend Saturday, email the teacher by Thursday night.

Thank you, Adult ESL Program

A student who cannot go to class on Saturday needs to do what?

  1. Come to the Tuesday class instead and finish pages 45–50 before then.
  2. Email the teacher before Friday morning and skip the workbook pages this week.
  3. Send an email to the teacher by Thursday night to let the teacher know. (correct answer)
  4. Call the school on Saturday morning and complete pages 45–50 later in the week.
Explanation: When reading emails or notices, focus on finding specific instructions — words like "if," "must," "need to," or "by" often signal important actions and deadlines. This question asks what a student who cannot attend Saturday must do, so look for that exact condition in the email. The email states clearly: "If you cannot attend Saturday, email the teacher by Thursday night." This matches answer C perfectly — send an email to the teacher by Thursday night. The instruction is direct and easy to find once you know what to look for. Here is why the other choices are wrong. A is incorrect because the email says the Tuesday class is canceled this week — there is no Tuesday class to attend. Also, the instruction to finish pages 45–50 is for students coming on Saturday, not a replacement for missing it. B contains two errors: the deadline is Thursday night, not Friday morning, and the email says nothing about skipping the workbook pages — all students should still complete them. D is wrong because the email says to email the teacher, not call the school, and the deadline is Thursday night, not Saturday morning. Waiting until Saturday would be too late. A helpful strategy: when a reading question asks about a condition ("if you cannot..."), go back and search the text for that exact word or phrase. Writers of notices and emails usually put the most important instructions in "if" sentences. Practicing this skill of scanning for key words will help you find answers quickly and accurately on reading questions.

Question 9

Listen to the conversation at a grocery store.

Customer: Excuse me. I got a text that my online order is ready, but I'm at the pickup window and no one is here. Employee: I'm sorry about that. The pickup window moved to the side entrance this week — we're fixing the front. Go around the building to the left. You'll need to show your order number on your phone to the person there. Customer: Okay. Do I need my ID too? Employee: Only if you're picking up someone else's order. If it's your own, just the order number is fine.

Because the pickup window moved, what does the customer need to do?

  1. Go to the side entrance and show a photo ID and the order number to receive the order.
  2. Wait at the front window until the repairs are done, then show the order number on the phone.
  3. Go to the side entrance on the left and show the order number on the phone to pick up the order. (correct answer)
  4. Call the store to confirm the new location and then bring a printed copy of the order number.
Explanation: When a question asks "what does the customer need to do," you should look for specific instructions given in the conversation and match them carefully to the answer choices. Small details — like which direction to go or what to bring — can make one answer right and another wrong. In the conversation, the employee gives two clear directions: go around the building to the left (to the side entrance), and show your order number on your phone. The employee also clarifies that ID is only needed when picking up someone else's order — not your own. This makes C the correct answer. It captures both key details: the side entrance on the left and showing the order number on the phone. A is incorrect because it says the customer needs both a photo ID and the order number. The employee specifically said ID is only required for someone else's order — not the customer's own pickup. B is a trap because it contradicts the whole point of the conversation. The employee is telling the customer not to wait at the front — the window has already moved. Waiting there won't help. D introduces two details that were never mentioned: calling the store and bringing a printed copy of the order number. The employee said to show the number on the phone, not on paper. A useful strategy: when answer choices look similar, focus on the small differences — a word like "only" or "also" can completely change the meaning. Always go back to what the passage actually says, not what sounds reasonable.

Question 10

Listen to the phone conversation.

Nurse: Hello, I'm calling for Maria Santos. This is a reminder about your blood test tomorrow at 8 a.m. There's one change — you must not eat or drink anything except water after midnight tonight. Also, we moved your appointment to Lab Room 3 instead of Lab Room 1. Please arrive 10 minutes early to fill out a short form. Maria: Okay. Do I need to bring anything? Nurse: Just your insurance card. We already have your other paperwork on file.

What does Maria need to do to prepare for the changes in her appointment?

  1. Stop eating and drinking after midnight, arrive early to complete a form, and go to Lab Room 1 with her insurance card.
  2. Stop eating after midnight but continue drinking water, arrive 10 minutes early to fill out a form, and go to Lab Room 3. (correct answer)
  3. Avoid all food and drinks including water after midnight, bring all her medical paperwork, and report to Lab Room 3 at 8 a.m.
  4. Eat a light meal before midnight, skip the new form since her paperwork is already on file, and report to Lab Room 3.
Explanation: When a question asks you to track "changes" in an appointment, focus carefully on exactly what was said — not what you assume or partially remember. Medical instructions often include specific exceptions, so every word matters. The nurse gives Maria three key updates: (1) no eating or drinking after midnight, except water is still allowed, (2) the appointment moved to Lab Room 3, and (3) she should arrive 10 minutes early to fill out a form. She also only needs her insurance card — not extra paperwork. Answer B captures all of this correctly: stop eating after midnight but continue drinking water, arrive early to complete the form, and go to Lab Room 3. Here's why the other choices fail. A sends Maria to Lab Room 1, which is the old location the nurse specifically said was changed — this is a classic trap that tests whether you caught the update. C says to avoid all drinks including water, but the nurse clearly said "except water," so this misreads a critical detail. C also says to bring all medical paperwork, when the nurse said her other paperwork is already on file. D suggests eating a light meal before midnight, which isn't supported anywhere, and tells Maria to skip the new form — but the nurse explicitly asked her to arrive early to fill it out. Your strategy: when listening to or reading medical instructions, always look for the word "except" or "but" — these small words completely change the meaning of a rule and are frequently tested in detail-based questions like this one.